"Al Maghrib" Special edition. Commemoration of the 40th day after the loss of Said Hajji, sixth year - No. 937 April 29, 1942

At any moment destiny alerts us and dispenses advice by means of events that take us by surprise and assault us in an astonishing manner that lead us to realize who we are and to become more aware. Is there a language more empathetic than that of destiny? Its eloquence is accessible to all beings who can taste the bitterness of life. Even though it is mute, its rhetoric breaks hearts. Languages that express themselves through silence state and explain matters very clearly.

Thanks to such events, which are behind this gathering, one allows himself to be convinced if he gives up to fate and hopes that luck smiles at him and will guide him to salvation. It is these events that teach each generation about the meaning of life and embed deceiving convictions in human beings of the rapid passage of their occurrence. The later do not stop their activities nor cease their efforts to seek the good in this world without worry about the deceptive shadows that lurk around them, a sullied mark on all of us. The time that passes without work is a pure loss, but death surprises even those full at work to serve their nation and country.

We laugh a lot with no embarrassment. The best amongst us rush to their graves as though they flee our impotence and life's setbacks. The intelligent hero will not necessarily expose his life to risk if he does not find someone who will encourage him during challenging times; and life is entirely made of risks. Gentlemen, we wish to heed the warnings but how shall we do so? Must we moan?, cry?, show our powerlessness to make some order of life? or should we wipe our tears and let our hearts harden to the pain in our guts? What is this warning? Oh Lord, we prostate ourselves in front of Your divine power. You are our Guide and Supreme Authority. You inspired us on how to draw lessons from warnings and from advice from opportunities lost that can not be replaced and happen without our notice. And yet they leave traces of their passage. All their signs indicate that we should be like Said who did not need to spend all his youth to understand the philosophy of life and who fashioned with his own hands his ornament of prestige.

It is as if he was saying his farewells to the everlasting culture of his country and was taking leave of his genius which won over and grew deep in the hearts of all. How can they find consolation to have lost you, Said, the most devoted of all? His noble soul was inscribed in the face of destiny with great precision. From time to time he tosses a pertinent glance that pierces through the veil that hides hope so as to see as far as possible with a will to achieve the sought after goal. A goal which was none other than the prestige (for his nation) that was expected. And there his genius becomes doubly talented and he felt moved to a heated passion that radiated to all around him.

The sword was more rapid than justice, Oh hero of youth! Destiny has acknowledged Said's genius by observing his conduct adapting to the course of time following the example of the rotational movement of the stars. It is as if death sided with his detractors and snatched him so they can sleep in peace. But will they be able to after he is long gone?

If death knew what he sought to achieve with his will, it would have spared him so he could continue to work in his fashion in the interest of his country and nation. Sleep, flesh of our flesh. Rest far from this world's hypocrisy, Oh flower of youth! You have fulfilled a magnificent historical mission and history, which restores faithfully individual and collective acts, has recorded all that you have done to accomplish your duty with respect to your nation,

While you were still among the living, you provided the example to follow with the endeavors your undertook which henceforth are inscribed in the eternal registry. The prestige that followed yesterday is building around your many qualities a shrine that even with time no shrine will ever equal. It will be a pilgrimage site for youth of all generations to come and they will render homage to you and say out load with the best articulations, "God is the greatest." Thus that is how you, our youth, will be warned.

Othman Mettai